Those first 3 years of The X-Files (1993) were special and very creative; winning an Emmy for the the work I did was unexpected but truly memorable. As the years went on, I think what happened at FOX was X-Files became Rupert Murdoch favorite show, so no one on the corporate level said "no" and the budget kept growing...
On the dynamic of Lost and its creator: The show's great. J.J. Abrams is a filmmaker like you wouldn't expect. He's like the quiet guy who lives next-door.
If you're doing a series, you have to have a look for it. Technically...what should happen...people should flip around the channels and immediately know what show they're watching without even looking up TV guide.